Meet Melissa Doman, Abroad101’s expert on expat emotional health! A master’s level National Certified Counselor, Melissa has extensive experience traveling and living overseas. She’ll be advising the Abroad101 community on all aspects of emotional health when it comes to studying abroad. Read on to see what Melissa has to say, and happy Wellness Wednesday everyone!

With my last name being an anagram of nomad, you could say a love for travel is in my blood. My passion for personal development through travel began in college; I studied abroad during my junior year in Melbourne, Australia and truly fell in love with being an expat. My second stint living overseas was when I taught English in Seoul, South Korea. After living in South Korea and Australia, traveling to 26 countries, and meeting people from all over the world, I realized my niche for helping folks through difficult life transitions. Ultimately, this led me to my current career as as a mental health counselor. I received my Masters in Counseling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology and was able to do an incredible clinical internship counseling college students at a university in Illinois. Currently, I work as a counselor and wellness education lecturer. With Abroad101 Wellness Wednesdays, I am excited to apply my counseling skills to the study abroad context. I will address the emotional wellness of students going overseas in regards to pre-departure preparation, cultural adjustment, and repatriation back into one’s home country. I learned a lot from studying and living abroad, and I’m excited to share my experiences in any way that can help all of you in your own courageous study abroad journeys.

3. Try activities you wouldn’t have access to in your home country – they make for great stories!

4. Eat strange foods – they’re really yummy!

5. Don’t spend too much time missing home – live in the now – and go create memories you’ll cherish for the rest of your life.

Favorite Travel Memory:

“I was at the beach on Roatan Island off the coast of Honduras, after a midnight dance party with the islanders. I felt the waves flow over my feet on the shore, looked up at the bright clear moon, and watched a lightening storm in the distance roll over the sea. As the lightening bolts quietly lit the night sky, I found it was one of the most serene moments in my life. I looked around, took it all in, and thought to myself, “this is why I’m here – to see beautiful things like this. This is why I travel!””If this story inspires you, you should know that you can navigate a similar career path with enough motivation. There are alternatives available for just about everyone in every situation in life. You can attend an online school and work your way towards a life like Melissa’s. The convenience of online classes allows you to gain a worthwhile education while maintaining your life. Remember that nothing is impossible as long as you’re properly motivated, and there’s nothing stopping you from taking charge of your life and earning a master’s degree in psychology online. It will strengthen your understanding of human behavior, teach you counseling methods and techniques required to pursue the career of your dreams, like Melissa.